Undergarment



Sept. 6, 1927.

s. 'r. ME'I 'Z UNDERGARMENT Filed May 12- 1925 VIT INVENTOR 5/7/7052 T METZ.

l I a flw/f ATT RNEYS'.

Patented Sept. 6, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL T. METZ, OIE JAMAICA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO TREO COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

UNDERGARMENT.

Application filed May 12, 1925. Serial No. 29,693.

This invention relates to undergarments and particularly to an improved manner of connecting brassieres and girdles to prevent wrinkling of either of the same under the outer garments after bending movements of the wearer. Heretofore, if the brassiere and girdle were anchored together along their abutting edges, the wearer could not bend without considerable discomfort, and strain upon the undergarments, and if the brassiere and girdle were not connected at the rear and sides, whenever the wearer would bend, the garments would separate along theabutting edges or slide upon one another, and then wrinkle under the outer garments when the wearer returned to erect position.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved undergarment, such as a combina tion brassiere and girdle; which will permit a complete separation from one another of the brassiere and girdle sections of the same which will permit free and substantantialy unrestrained bending movements of the wearer; which will prevent wrinkling of the undergarment beneath the outer garments when the wearer returns to erect position; which Will hold the two sections of the garment in proper relation to one another; which permits ready detachment or attachment together of said sections; with which either section of the garment may be worn without the other; which will not materially alter the appearance of either section of the garment; which will always fit the curvature of the body smoothly; and which will be relatively simple and inexpensive.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the ap pended claims.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is the front perspective of the garment as worn;

Fig. 2 is a rear perspective of the same;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the same, with the'section taken approximately along the line 3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan through the same portion of the garment, with the section taken substantially along the line 44 of Fig. 2.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, .the undergarment comprises. the

combination of girdle and brassiere sections detachably connected in a particular manner. The girdle section 1 which may be either a closed band or one which may be opened flat, may have elastic sections 2 included therein, if desired. The brassire section 3 may be provided with the usual shoulder straps 4, and extends downwardly in overlapping relation withthe girdle section 1, as usual when these garments are worn separately.- The brassiere section may be provided in front with a strap 5 which may be anchored to a suitable pin in the front of the girdle section as usual. The brassiere section may also be formed as a strip of fabric, the ends of which are connected together by suitable fastening devices 6 (See Fig. 2), as usual.

The girdle section is provided with one or more fabric pockets 7 which extend vertically downwardly from approximately the lower edge of the brassiere section, said pockets being open at their upper ends. In

each pocket a strap 8 of elastic material,

such as one having rubber bands incorporated lengthwise therein, is disposed so as to extend lengthwise of the pocket, and at its inner end the strap is anchored to the pocket in any suitable manner such as by stitching or mechanical fastening devices. v

The strap terminates at its upper end at approximately the opening of the pocket, and carries a suitable fastening element 9, such as an eye, for cooperation with a suitable fastening device 10, such as a hook, carried by the brassiere section along its lower edge (See Fig. 3). The two fastening devices 9 and 10, therefore provide a detachable connection between the lower edge of the brassiere section and each elastic strap. The pockets ,7 and straps 9 may be provided at the sides or rear of the girdle, preferably both as shown, and the pocket may be read ily formed by merely stitching to the girdle a layer 11 of suitable fabric, as shown in Fig. 4.

Preferably two pockets are provided in the rear or back section of the girdle, and optionally may be provided at the sides. The pockets are preferably wider than the straps 8 which are placed therein, so that the free ends of the straps may move laterally in the open ends of the pockets for a limited extent, to facilitate connection of each strap to the lower edge of the brassiere section. By means of this limited. lateral movement of the strap, the garments may freely adjustthemselves to one another and it will be unnecessary to so accurately locate the fasten- An undergarment constructed in accordance with this invention is worn in the man- 'ner shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and when the wearer bends forwardly, the brassiere section will move away from the girdle section or slide upwardly along the same, to an extent depending upon the amount of the bending movement. During this bendin movement, the straps 8 will stretch or yield and permit this relative sliding movement of the girdle and brassiere sections at the rear without ofiering any material restriction to the bending movements, or causing any discomfort to the wearer.

With prior garments when the wearer returned to erect position, the brassiere section did not return along its lower edge, but; wrinkled, with the result that the wrinkles were frequently visible through the outer clothing and were uncomfortable to the wearer. With this improved garment,

' however, immediately upon the return of Wearers body, and when the wearer returns the wearers body to erect position, the straps 8 will draw the brassieresection downwardly lnto normal position,- so., as to prevent the forming of wrinkles, and to'placethe two sections in the same relative'positions which they formerly occupied. Such an undergarment will, therefore, always be smooth and fiat beneath the outer garments. If the wearer. bends sidewise the straps 8 i will stretch to permit free movement of the to erect position, thestraps will draw the garments into their proper normal relation as shown in the drawing.

By providing the straps within pocketsin one of the sections, such as in the girdle, especially at the back of the wearer, the straps will always extend along the curving "shape of the wearers body, so that when stretched they will not form vertical ridges in the 'outer garments. Since the girdle and brassiere sections are detachably connected through the straps, they may be readily separated from one another, so that either the brassiere section or girdle section may be worn separately without the may be laundered separately.

It will be understood that various chan es in the details, which have been herein escribed and illustrated for the purpose ofexplaining the nature ofthe invention, may

be made by those skilled in theart within the principle and scope of the invention, as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim: I 1. An undergarment comprising twobody encircling sections, one of which is adapted other, or each- "therein, extending along the ,pocket, and detachably connected to the other section,

whereby said strap will yield when the wearers body bends in a manner to cause a separation of said sections at the point of connection, and to draw the sections into original relative positions when the wearers body returns to erect position.

2. An undergarment comprising two body encircling sections, one of'which is adapted to encircle the body of the wearer across the bust, and the other of which is adapted to encircle the body of the wearer at a position downwardly from approximately the waistline, one of said sections having a vertically extending pocket formed therein, an elastic strap disposed in said pocket, anchored at one end to said pocket carrying section, extending alongsaid pocket, and de tachably connected to the other section, whereby said, strap will yield when the wearers body bends in a manner to cause a separation of said sections at the point of connection, and-to draw the sections into or 'iginal relativepositions when the wearers body returns to erect position, the width of the pocket being greater than the width of thestrap whereby the end of the strap which is detachablv connected to a section may swing laterallyv to some extent to facilitate ice I establishment of the connection to a section.

3. An undergarment comprising two body encircling-sections, one ofi which is adapted to encircle the body of the 'weareriacross the bust, and the'other of which is adapted to encircle the body of the wearer downwardly from approximately the, waistline, the lower sectionof the garment havin a pocket extending vertically of said sectlon for a material distance, the upper end of said ocket being opened and normally lying a jacent the, lower edge of the upper sectionysaid pocket being located along the back vJot the wearer when the garment is in applied posiv tion, an elastic strap disposed in said pocket and anchored at one end therein, with the I free end of the strap at approximately the opening of the pocket in which it is placed,

and cooperating fastening means provided upon the lower edge portion of. the upper,

section and the free" end of the strap for detachably connecting the same. In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my signature.

1 SAMUEL T. METZ. 

